India has preferential or zero duty market access to 70% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through trade agreements and the start-ups should not limit themselves to domestic markets, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said Thursday.
Addressing the Pfizer INDovation Startup Showcase Programme, he said that startups should be participating in global exhibitions and fairs for which the ministry will provide support. India’s missions in over 190 countries are available to assist innovators and he also encouraged collaboration with global companies to access developed markets.
There are 2 lakh registered start-ups and many more unregistered,
Goyal referred to the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) near Visakhapatnam and expressed interest in establishing a similar facility in North India, possibly in Rajasthan or Uttar Pradesh, or within NICDC (National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation) industrial projects with dedicated land for medical devices and co-working spaces for startups.
He announced that three more National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) are being established alongside the upgradation of seven existing NIPERs. A new National Institute of Design (NID) will be set up in East India, with states competing to provide the best proposal. He suggested that NID could assist startups in improving product design, visual appeal and overall quality, possibly through pro bono programmes.
On Thursday the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), in collaboration with Pfizer, Department of Pharmaceuticals, and NITI Aayog, felicitated the winners of the Pfizer INDovation Program 2025.
Through this collaboration, 14 high-potential Indian healthtech startups have been awarded grants of Rs 60 lakh each (over Rs 8 crore in total) along with 18 months of structured incubation, clinical validation, mentorship, and real-world deployment support.
The selected startups are developing breakthrough solutions across priority healthcare areas including immunization, non-communicable diseases, brain health, oncology, and maternal & child health—sectors critical to strengthening India’s public health systems and improving healthcare access and affordability.